Marine sediments and climate change

Marine sediment cores from the glacially carved fiords of the Auckland Islands are analysed in conjunction with lake and peat cores. This analysis includes radiocarbon dating and the study of the carbon and nitrogen isotopes they contain. The analysis will help to reconstruct changes in the southern hemisphere westerly winds, which play an important role in New Zealand’s climate and the carbon dioxide exchange between the Southern Ocean and the atmosphere. Understanding past climate changes will help scientists to understand current and future climate change.

Learn more about other research by GNS Science using sediment cores to understand climate change, or study our carbon cycle interactive.

Image acknowledgement: Hannes Grobe/Creative Commons 3.0